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Powerful Results, Positive Trends: California’s Bag Ban One Year Out

A little over a year ago, California voters became the first in the United States to approve a single-use plastic bag ban. With the passage of Proposition 67, Californians took a stand to protect our state’s diverse and fragile environmental systems from being further harmed by plastic bag litter. One year later, we are proud to say that the ban has been successful in reducing the amount of plastic that reaches local waterways and harms wildlife and water quality.

Far from going unnoticed, California’s plastic bag ban set a trend. Hawaii decided to implement its own statewide bag ban, and municipalities across Massachusetts and Washington have taken the same step to protect waterways and wildlife. While many states have yet to follow our example, Californians should be proud of the fact that we have proven ourselves once again to be leaders in protecting both local and global waters from toxic plastic pollution.

Johnneson Mymala

Johnneson is a Policy Fellow at Save the Bay, providing support for the organization’s Bay Smart development and pollution prevention strategies. He returned to his native Bay Area after completing a B.A. at UCLA and working as a researcher in Hong Kong. Outside the office, you can find him hiking local trails, dining out with friends, or feeding his wanderlust through travel.